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Current Status

January 27, 2015

No red tide is being reported anywhere along the Texas coast.

October 16, 2014

Recent rains along the Texas coast have reduced red tide concentrations. Currently there are no reports of red tide occurring along the Texas coast. This includes no reports of discolored water, fish kills, or respiratory irritation. Current information about shellfish closures can be obtained by contacting the Seafood and Aquatic Life Group of the Texas Department of State Health Services at (800) 685-0361.

September 25, 2014

Texas A&M University's Imaging Flow CytoBot has detected rising concentrations of Karenia brevis at Port Aransas. Cell concentrations are currently well below the threshold to cause fish kills, discolored water or respiratory irritation at this site. Additional samples have been collected from Bob Hall Pier, Swantner Park, Ropes Park and Cole Park in Corpus Christi. K. brevis were not present in these sites.

November 8, 2013

There is no red tide occurring anywhere along the Texas coast. Current information about shellfish closures can be obtained by contacting the Seafood and Aquatic Life Group of the Texas Department of State Health Services at (800) 685-0361.

October 2, 2013

No red tide is occurring anywhere along the Texas coast. The oyster meat samples collected by DSHS were all free of brevetoxin. Effective on Wednesday, October 2, 2013, Conditionally Approved Area 1 of Galveston Bay, Central and East Approved Areas of Galveston Bay, and Smith Point Approved Area of Galveston Bay will be opened to the harvesting of shellfish.

September 25, 2013

No red tide is being reported from anywhere along the Texas coast.

September 20, 2013

No discolored water, irritating aerosols or other signs of red tide have been reported from anywhere along the Texas coast this week. Cell counts remain very low in Galveston Bay and at Port Aransas; the cell concentrations are too low to cause any fish kills or aerosol impacts.

September 16, 2013

No discolored water, irritating aerosols or other signs of red tide were reported from anywhere along the Texas coast over the weekend. Data from the Imaging Flow CytoBot show that cell concentrations have decreased significantly at Port Aransas. Rain is forecasted for the middle and lower coast throughout this week, and that might stave off any impacts in the short-term.

September 13, 2013

The sample collected yesterday at Packery Channel had very low concentrations of K. brevis and the Bob Hall Pier sample did not contain any cells. Low concentrations of K. brevis continue to be detected at Port Aransas by the Imaging Flow CytoBot, and a follow-up sample collected at Horace Caldwell Pier contained low concentrations as well. Levels are too low to discolor the water or cause respiratory effects or fish kills.

DSHS monitored the Galveston Bay area earlier this week; all stations either contained no K. brevis or very low concentrations. Levels are too low to discolor the water or cause respiratory effects or fish kills.

September 12, 2013

Texas A&M University's Imaging Flow CytoBot has detected rising concentrations of Karenia brevis at Port Aransas. Cell concentrations are currently well below the threshold to cause fish kills, discolored water or respiratory irritation. Additional samples have been collected from Bob Hall Pier and Packery Channel and results are pending. Padre Island National Seashore staff monitored their beaches this week, finding no K. brevis at the northern park boundary (North Beach), the 0 mile marker, the 15 mile marker or Bird Island Basin.

DSHS collected water samples in the Galveston area on Monday. No cells were found at Houston Ship Channel markers 16 (Bolivar Roads) and 25 (Texas City Dike). Low cell concentrations were found at the Galveston Yacht Basin, the South jetty, San Luis Pass, and Houston Ship Channel markers 35, 47 and 55. No discolored water or other impacts were reported.

September 9, 2013

TPWD did not receive any reports of discolored water or dead fish over the weekend. DSHS found low concentrations of cells today inside Galveston Bay but no discolored water or other impacts.

September 5, 2013

Padre Island National Seashore has begun monitoring for Karenia brevis. This week their staff found low concentrations from the 0 mile marker to the 45 mile marker but no aerosols or dying fish. A Trichodesmium sp. bloom is occurring along the area’s beaches as well. TPWD will collect water samples from the Corpus Christi area to monitor these events.

September 4, 2013

No reports of dead fish or aerosols have come in this week. DSHS continues to find low concentrations of K. brevis in their Galveston Bay samples taken from Houston Ship Channel markers 16, 25, 35 and 47, San Luis Pass, the east end of the seawall, the south jetty, and the Galveston Yacht Basin. No cells were found at Houston Ship Channel marker 55.

September 3, 2013

TPWD did not receive any reports of aerosols or fish kills over the holiday weekend. However, this afternoon a caller reported discolored water in upper Galveston Bay off Morgan’s Point. DSHS is going to monitor the area in the course of their sampling today.

Water samples were collected along the Corpus Christi bayfront on Friday. No cells were found in either sample and no aerosols were detected. Padre Island National Seashore staff will begin monitoring their beaches for any signs of red tide.

August 30, 2013

DSHS collected additional samples yesterday, noting low cell counts at Carancahua Reef, San Luis Pass, and at the seawall near 45th Street. High concentrations of K. brevis were found inside the Galveston Yacht Basin. No cells were found at the base of the south jetty, the east end of the seawall, or the seawall at 92nd Street. TPWD found low concentrations of cells at Sargent Beach, both in the Intracoastal Waterway and on the gulf beach.

August 29, 2013

TPWD has not received any new reports of fish kills or aerosols associated with this event. However, the Texas Department of State Health Services found K. brevis at a number of sites within Galveston Bay yesterday and restricted shellfish harvesting in some areas. Low concentrations of cells were found at Houston Ship Channel markers 16 (Bolivar Roads), 25 (Texas City Dike), 35, 47 and 55, the east end of the seawall, the base of the south jetty and the end of the south jetty. No cells were found at San Luis Pass, Galveston Yacht Basin, the Houston Ship Channel at Baytown, Fishers Reef, Double Bayou and the mouth of the San Bernard River.

Effective on Thursday, August 29, 2013, Conditionally Approved Area 1 of Galveston Bay, Central Approved Area of Galveston Bay, East Approved Area of Galveston Bay, and Smith Point Approved Area of Galveston Bay will close to the harvesting of shellfish due to the presence of the red tide organism Karenia brevis. Current information about shellfish closures can be obtained by contacting the Seafood Safety Division of the Texas Department of State Health Services at (800) 685-0361.

August 28, 2013

TPWD is investigating reports of aerosols in the Surfside Beach and Galveston Island State Park areas. The water sample collected from the state park beach contained no Karenia brevis cells, also known as red tide. The sample from Surfside Beach was found to contain low concentrations of K. brevis.

June 4, 2013

At this time there is no red tide occurring anywhere along the Texas coast.

Older Reports

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the
Texas Department of State Health Services investigate reports
of possible red tide along the coast and in the bays.

Three common signs of a red tide bloom are:

discolored water

dead fish

breathing difficulty.

From the Centers
for Disease Control:
The human health effects associated with eating brevetoxin-tainted shellfish
are well documented. However, scientists know little about how other types
of environmental exposures to brevetoxin—such as breathing the air
near red tides or swimming in red tides—may affect humans. Anecdotal
evidence suggests that people who swim among brevetoxins or inhale brevetoxins
dispersed in the air may experience irritation of the eyes, nose, and
throat, as well as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Additional
evidence suggests that people with existing respiratory illness, such
as asthma, may experience these symptoms more severely.

To report sightings of red tide during normal business
hours, call your local TPWD office or 361-825-3244. Outside of normal
business hours you may call TPWD's 24-hour communications centers at 512-389-4848
(Austin) or 281-842-8100 (Houston.)

Although some travelers may be concerned with how the
red tide may affect their vacation plans, there are miles of clean beaches
to enjoy on the Texas coast. When making travel plans, heed the advice
of the Texas
Department of State Health Services : get the current facts and draw
your own conclusions.

For more information about red tide and the latest updates, call the
TPWD hotline at (800) 792-1112, select fishing, then select red tide.

Current information about shellfish closures can be
obtained by contacting the Seafood Safety Division of the Texas Department
of State Health Services at (800) 685-0361. The Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department and the Texas Department of State Health Services investigate
reports of possible red tide along the coast and in the bays.